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New Engineering accreditation is mark of excellence

Earning a mark of excellence recognized worldwide, the Fort Lewis College Engineering program is now accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET (http://www.abet.org), the international accrediting body for applied science, computing, engineering, and engineering technology programs. The stamp of approval for FLC Engineering comes just as the College is breaking ground for a new Geosciences, Physics and Engineering building. A portion of Berndt Hall has already been demolished to make way for the 60,000-square-foot facility.

FLC’s Engineering-Physics program is also accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET (http://www.abet.org). As explained on the ABET website, “Simply put, accreditation is value. Reaching into our public, private, and professional lives, accreditation is proof that a collegiate program has met certain standards necessary to produce graduates who are ready to enter their professions. Students who graduate from accredited programs have access to enhanced opportunities in employment; licensure, registration and certification; graduate education and global mobility.”

“This is a great milestone for our program and the Fort Lewis College campus,” says Physics & Engineering Department Chair Ryan Haaland. “It reflects an extraordinary effort by our faculty and staff and extraordinary commitment from our administration. We are excited about what lies ahead for current and future students entering all of our programs.”

Fort Lewis College's Engineering program lives up to the high standards expected of ABET accreditation. For example, in recent years, FLC engineering students consistently passed the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam at a higher rate than the national average. Once they pass the FE, alumni of the engineering program boast an employment rate of over 90 percent.

The future looks bright for those pursuing a career in engineering. Civil engineering, for example, is expected to add more than 50,000 jobs in the United States over the next decade. That’s nearly twice as fast as the estimated growth rate for all occupations, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

“I’m very proud of the physics and engineering faculty and staff,” says Dr. Maureen Brandon, dean of the School of Arts & Sciences. “They work hard to be sure that our academic program meets the standards and criteria of ABET. The accreditation decision is a testament to the quality of our engineering program.”

The new Geosciences, Physics and Engineering building is particularly important for the Engineering program, which has seen its enrollment more than double over the past few years. The new facility is expected to open Fall 2016.

Beginning in July, incoming FLC students will have four Peak Experiences opportunities to choose from, each with a different focus. Food and lodging are included in the cost of the program and financial assistance is available for those who qualify. For more information, visit www.fortlewis.edu/peakexperiences.

A new health sciences complex will add classrooms and research space for Fort Lewis College’s Exercise Science, Public Health, and other programs that train students for healthcare careers. The College is also beginning a new Pre-Health Certificate program in fall 2018 to help students get what they need to pursue healthcare-related education and jobs after graduation.

Most of us think accounting is all about crunching numbers. For alumnus Brad Tafoya, though, being an accountant is more about heart than about spreadsheets. He and his firm, Tafoya Barrett & Associates, are all about helping their clients and their community reach their full potential.

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Fort Lewis College is Colorado's crossroads of education and adventure, where a uniquely beautiful mountain campus inspires an active and friendly community, and transformative learning experiences foster entrepreneurship, leadership, creativity, and life-long learning.